Since
Three Dog Night's albums were typically short, single-disc compilations that pair two of them together are not only logical but a good value, too. Case in point: this one, with 19 tracks from two of the band's releases from 1970, it clocks at just over 68 minutes. The sequencing of
It Ain't Easy has been changed from the American edition that led off with the disc's biggest hit,
"Mama Told Me Not to Come." That song appears here buried in the programming at cut seven, which changes the feel of the finished product. The easy rolling version of
Paul Williams'
"Out in the Country" was the only other charting nugget, although the first appearance of
Elton John's
"Your Song," which predated
John's own version on his debut by a few months, proves how sharp the group's knack for finding great tunes was. The one original,
"Rock and Roll Widow," which is co-credited to all seven members, is the worst track by a large margin, further proving that their strength was finding and covering other artist's material. The opening,
Free's
"Woman" is an inspired choice and one of
It Ain't Easy's highlights.
Naturally,
Three Dog Night's second album from 1970, is a better, harder rocking overall effort, even if its most memorable selection,
"Joy to the World," is almost an afterthought as the closing tune. Someone had to dig to unearth
Spooky Tooth's soulful
"I've Got Enough Heartache" (the reissue leaves off the "s"), a deep album choice from
Spooky Two, but the pay-off is a soulful performance that nonetheless didn't help
Tooth's floundering career. The backing group co-penned
"Fire Eater," one of the few instrumentals in
TDN's catalog; it's a tough, swampy riff rocker that features some sizzling guitar from
Mike Allsup that still didn't help it from getting lost in the band's catalog. The digital remastering of both albums, done in 2006, is good if not spectacular, and writer
Bruce Eder's liner notes are informative without being cloying. ~ Hal Horowitz
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